Which will it be: the Waratahs or Rebels?
Roar Guru By LeftArmSpinner, 16 Jan 2010 LeftArmSpinner is a Roar Guru
176 Have your say
Related coverage
Crusaders' Andy Ellisleft, bottom left, tackles the Waratahs' Dean Mumm as his captain Phil Waugh jumps to make room for a pass during their Super 14 rugby union game at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, March 21, 2009. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
After more than 30 years of support, I am seriously considering dropping my financial and emotional support for the Waratahs, throwing it behind the Melbourne Rebels, and taking more time to attend Randwick’s games in the Sydney Grade Rugby competition.
There are two reasons for this:
1. The Waratahs disloyalty to its loyal and long time supporters and
2. the exciting announcements emanating from down south.
On one side of the ledger is 30 years of blind loyalty to the Waratahs.
I was born in NSW and so I supported the NSW Waratahs. (I was born and raised in Randwick and played Juniors and Colts for them. I love the way they play)
I have not missed a Waratahs home game for ten years.
In reality, this passion has been severely diluted by the persistent, continuing deep seated ten year frustration, on and off the field, of being a Waratahs supporter.
The net result is that my blind loyalty is now more like a disenchanted lover actively eying off the prospects.
On the other side of the ledger, I have read of the appointments of Waldron and McQueen. Hill will be a bonus if and when he is appointed.
There is the excitement of being involved in something new, unknown, but already kicking big goals with these appointments.
Add to this the attractive “Uber-Australian” Rebels brand values: the underdog, the David v Goliath positioning, professional, clever, experienced, practical but not TOO serious, refreshingly honest, the team not individual comes first, youthful, ground breaking. etc.
Add to this the satisfaction of finally giving the Waratahs a bloody nose. The Waratahs don’t rate my support. They think that I’m welded on.
More fool them.
Then deduct (or possibly add) the unpredictability of the new enterprise.
For me, this decision is not about winning games and winning competitions. If this were the case, I would have left the Waratahs many years ago.
On this analysis, the Rebels win hands down, and so what started as an academic exercise, suddenly warrants closer inspection.
There are other questions that must be answered:
1. How reliable is my assessment?
Surprisingly, I can trust that the Rebels will be very well managed on and off the field. Just look at the track record of Waldron and particularly McQueen in building self-sustaining new entities.
The Brumbies organisation is impressive for its culture and playing record, even a decade after McQueen’s departure.
The Waratahs CEO/Coach team doesn’t remotely compare to the Rebels.
Every Waratahs fan can attest to this through their multitude of ridiculous decisions on and off the field and press pronouncements.
And so I come to the qualitatíve matters.
2. Loyalty to my state of birth: The Waratahs no longer represent NSW. The Waratahs no longer comprise the best NSW players.
3. What will my friends say? Nothíng. Most no longer have any interest in the Waratahs.
4. What is my gut saying? Life is too short to put up with dickheads and it will be a fun ride on something that is not life or death.
5. So logistically how would this work? As an SCG/SFS member, I already have 4 tickets to Waratahs home games. I would only attend the big Waratahs games to catch up with my mates. The Waratahs decision to progressively move more big games to Homebush now fits beautifully with my plans. I can get a Members ticket from a mate for the Waratahs annual Homebush game I really want to see. By no longer attending four of the low quality home games, I will save $600 in parking, merchandise and food.
6. But The Rebels are in a city hundreds of kilometers away. When will I see their games?
Away games for both The Waratahs and Rebels are on Foxtel. I currently don’t have Foxtel and so don’t see any of these games. No change there.
With the money I save from not blindly attending the rubbish Waratahs home games, I will spend $90 for a one year subscription to Fox Sports live internet and download coverage of all S14/15 games.
There is a fine line between loyalty and reality. Loyalty is not to be taken for granted, should be returned and can be moved if circumstances dictate.
The net effect would be that the Waratahs have successfully converted a life long supporter into a “fair weather”, one game a year attendee, a full time supporter of a competitor franchise and an internet Super 15 subscriber.
The net financial outlay is a saving of 80 percent to me.
Consider this article as the final attempt to reconcile, the final attempt to get a lover to change her ways so that the relationship can recover. Rarely does it achieve the outcome.
I don’t need to take a decision yet. The Waratahs have one last season at retaining me as a supporter and the rebels have 12 months to convince me to jump ship!
Recommend this story.
The Turkey 10
The Turkey 10 teams have now been selected, as Wild Turkey Bourbon's sport sponsorship kicks into the next exciting phase.
Choose which side you're going to support and get in the running to win $2,500!
Simply visit Wild Turkey Australia on Facebook for your chance to win.
Find out more.
- Explore:
- Melbourne Rebels, rugby union super 14, Super Rugby 2011, Waratahs
January 16th 2010 @ 11:27am
macavity said | January 16th 2010 @ 11:27am | Report comment
This is why Rugby will never be anything other than a sideshow sport in Australia, given way more attention than it rightly deserves, due only to its old boys network.
No loyalty. No fortitude.
It is utterly inconcievable that a true and native Collingwood, Essendon, Canterbury or South Sydney fan would jump to a competitor – for any reason.
Yet a self-professed long term Tahs man says he is thinking of jumping to a competitor in another state – and the wise rugby mandarins just smile and nod.
My Newcastle Knights could have Satan as CEO and Hitler at halfback – they would still be my team.
The NSW Blues could have Idi Amin at fullback – I would still never go for the Canetoads.
The NEW SOUTH WALES Tahs move a few games half an hour away from the eastern suburbs and you guys lose your shit.
January 16th 2010 @ 4:00pm
Chris said | January 16th 2010 @ 4:00pm | Report comment
Hear, Hear!
In fairness, it is the Waratahs we are talking about! I’m not sure how anyone becomes a Waratahs fan in the first place. They seemingly have a huge advantage over every other side in the Super 14 (huge player base to chose from, corporate support, well connected Sydney old-boys network, affluent supporters) and they still churn out year after year of mediocre results. Do people look at this and say “Yes! That is a team I want to support!”. If I was a Waratahs fan I would be running for the hills as well.
But don’t be under any illusions – the passion of us Brumbies fans for our team is just as great as any NRL or AFL fan (I know because I support the Raiders as well). If you truly love a team nothing will ever break that passion.
January 17th 2010 @ 11:24am
Fragglerocker said | January 17th 2010 @ 11:24am | Report comment
Yes I agree but remember us Brumbies supporters have the advantage of living in the only area in the entire country where Rugby is the top sport. And before I get shouted down by others, I’m talking about amount of core supporters, not player numbers which, like everywhere else, is dominated by soccer, at least in the under 16′s (due to parents not wanting their precious darlings getting hurt by playing what they actually want to play). And even soccer runs a long second to the most popular sport in Australia by player numbers – which is netball apparently.
We here in the ACT only have to go to the shops to see others wearing Brumbies jerseys and caps, or switch on the local news hear what the Brumbies are doing as the lead sporting item, or pick up the local paper to see the Brumbies latest training run dominating the back page. The other Australian franchises are minority sports in their locations and really need to look after their supporters.
In my experience the Brumbies really do try to look after their supporters, and also go out of their way to support the local ACT clubs. Add to that the fact that you can’t go out on most nights without running into Brumbies players means that if they don’t behave themselves, their support could vanish very quickly.
January 16th 2010 @ 5:14pm
Pete said | January 16th 2010 @ 5:14pm | Report comment
Completely agree macavity, well put. Players rise to the occasion when they know they have strong support behind them. God knows how Phil Waugh finds the motivation to put his body on the line week after week after spurning the big cash overseas, when the “lifelong” Tah supportes can’t be a*rsed to travel an extra 40 minutes from the East to watch a game.
Tahs supporters by name, but not by heart.
I think RugbyFuture hit the nail on the head when he said, the NSWRU needs to take the game to a wider audience and find a bigger supporter base.
January 16th 2010 @ 6:33pm
rugbyfuture said | January 16th 2010 @ 6:33pm | Report comment
I agree to an extent……there are still some of us who will always be loyal and dont live in the eastern suburbs
January 16th 2010 @ 6:40pm
MyGeneration said | January 16th 2010 @ 6:40pm | Report comment
When my Sea Eagles were forced into a loveless marriage with the Bears, and the bastard Northern Eagles were born, my loyalty was pushed to the brink, but I would never have taken up with another team. I just wouldn’t have had a team anymore, and would have followed League the way I have always followed AFL, for instance, as a disinterested observer.
January 16th 2010 @ 7:08pm
Col the Bear said | January 16th 2010 @ 7:08pm | Report comment
never followed the NE never followed NRL since the Bears were kicked out.and i’m just one of many who feel cheated we lost our Bears in the NRL.. lucky I still have the Bears in the NSW cup to have kept me going for the past 10 years.. but hopefully all will change soon when the Bears are reinvented as the Central Coast Bears.. then we can finally get those rival games happening between the Bears and the Eagles once more and rugby league will be better off for it….
January 17th 2010 @ 1:11pm
BanHammer said | January 17th 2010 @ 1:11pm | Report comment
Oh boo bloody boo hoo. It supporters like you that think their team is bigger then the game that we don’t need. Same as when South Sydney got kicked and all their supporters chucked a hissy fit (So loyal that they didn’t even attend matches before hand) and tried to hold the game to ransom.
News, your team is not bigger then the game and to turn your back on the NRL just because they weren’t succesful finacially or on the field reeks of a peculant attitude. If the spirit of the club was so strong they would have found a way to survive the merger instead of sulking back to the north coast taking their bat and ball with them.
As much as it pains you to hear it, Rugby League (NRL) is doing fine without Norths (otherwise it wouldn’t be growing). So to automatically assume the competion would be better with them shows delusions regarding your teams importance.
Let me put it to you this way. If you think about it, if Norths fans like you supported the NRL for the past 10 years maybe the extra money/interest would have got the NRL to think about reinstating them sooner rather then latter. Simple Logic really.
January 18th 2010 @ 5:32am
LeftArmSpinner said | January 18th 2010 @ 5:32am | Report comment
macavity, sad, sad sad. But let me say that when I wrote the article, I was interested in the response and expected something in line with yours. traitor, treason, etc.. But not tying it to the code itself.
I also added that I dont want to go, and that I would like the tahs to change their approach.
So we have blind loyalty while the club emplodes V’s proactive, constructive criticism, carefully thought out actions in the hope that the club will get the message. Declining audiences and the parlous state of almost every sports clubs finances and it is a recipe for disaster.
but thanks for putting the other side of the argument. The beauty of the roar is getting both sides and discussing it out!!!
My response to your response is that I am very much not like you in your blind loyalty. 30 yrs is enough.
I am saying that I probably prefer to be decisive and observant and practical and smart rather than blindly loyal to an organisation that doesnt respect or value that loyalty……………
January 16th 2010 @ 11:29am
Who Needs Melon said | January 16th 2010 @ 11:29am | Report comment
LAS,
I started following the Brumbies for many of the reasons you mention. I too was/am a Randwick follower – partially because of it’s magnificent history and the legends that played for them at the time but also because some guys I went to school with played for them.
Those same mates were passed over by the Waratahs and given a shot by the Brumbies so of course I shared their disillusionment with the former and faith in the latter. The Waratahs have always seemed to have an odd selection policy to me. Not sure if the Waratahs calling George Smith “too small” story is apocryphal but seems typical of the Waratahs to me.
The playing style of the early Brumbies sealed the deal for me.
The Rebels seem to be shaping up to repeat history. I’m sure they would be more than happy if they could repeat the success of the Brumbies early years. Of course they are a little harder to support for a sydneysider – no popping up to Bruce stadium and back to watch a game.
I still support the Waratahs – I want them to do well as I do all the aussie teams… but when it’s Brumbies v. Waratahs I support the Brumbies. And I’m not trying to lead you away from being a Waratahs supporter. Obviously who you support is a very personal decision. Good luck to you whichever team you support… as long as they’re aussie.
January 16th 2010 @ 1:44pm
JezNez said | January 16th 2010 @ 1:44pm | Report comment
George was a bad miss by the nsw selectors, they had to decide between him and Phil at the time and its been pretty lineball all the years since. Smith in hindsight would have been the preferred option. Unfortunately neither franchise has developed a replacement, the Farce with Pocock have contributed the only 7 contender in the last ten years. He is good but I hope another option comes along to push him to even better things
January 17th 2010 @ 3:54pm
Bay35Pablo said | January 17th 2010 @ 3:54pm | Report comment
Beau Robinson …
January 18th 2010 @ 8:17pm
penguin said | January 18th 2010 @ 8:17pm | Report comment
Julian Salvi was being developed as the Brumbies replacement for George, but he has gone to Europe rather than warm the bench. However he is a ACT product who has said that he would only ever play for the Brumbies (of the Australian teams) and I would not be surprised if he returned when George goes.
January 16th 2010 @ 2:08pm
LeftArmSpinner said | January 16th 2010 @ 2:08pm | Report comment
Yea, two good points and worth mentioning. I would not wish the tahs any harm. I would continue to support the Wallabies and the Tahs influence the Wallabies. Yea, I would always support an Aussie team.
January 16th 2010 @ 12:05pm
Ryan said | January 16th 2010 @ 12:05pm | Report comment
Are the Tahs becoming the Roosters of Super Rugby in terms of disloyal supporters. Fair dinkum, one game moved to Homebush to capture a larger audience, get over it. Have you considered dropping your SFS membership and becoming simply a Tahs member?
Agreed that last years plan of win ugly was awful Rugby but i think the last 3 games of the series showed that the win ugly game plan was finished with. I am confident that this year they will play with more adventure
January 16th 2010 @ 2:11pm
LeftArmSpinner said | January 16th 2010 @ 2:11pm | Report comment
I had to pay $6K up front to be a SFS member and I like to go to the SFS Gym, and the Cricket.
Ryan, I didnt see the last three games because I dont have foxtel. Also, it is a lot more than just moving a game. see above, my post to rugby future. and winning ugly, they didnt even manage the win bit!!!!
January 16th 2010 @ 9:05pm
Ryan said | January 16th 2010 @ 9:05pm | Report comment
LAS, I don’t remember the exact details of the back end of the season but i do recall thinking if only they had played this way from the beginning we might have had a shot at the tittle. Get Foxtel and the I.Q add on if only for the chance to watch all the Super Rugby games at your convenience, i am living OS at the moment and miss the Foxtel I.Q, it is awesome.
January 18th 2010 @ 5:35am
LeftArmSpinner said | January 18th 2010 @ 5:35am | Report comment
the foxtel debate is a similar one. rugby is the only code to have no FTA presence and so play with an audience where only 40% can get the games. (i’m excluding the Wallabies here)
I dont have foxtel cause i already watch too much tv
January 18th 2010 @ 7:42pm
Yikes said | January 18th 2010 @ 7:42pm | Report comment
The only code? What A-League games do you watch on FTA?
January 16th 2010 @ 12:39pm
Peteski said | January 16th 2010 @ 12:39pm | Report comment
The fox sports site allows you to stream any super 14 game during the season for $70. This way you don’t have to put up with paying for the other 100 channels of bile served up by foxtel.
The catch? Oh theres always a catch….Not one of the games are live. In my experience you have to wait at least 5 to 6 hours after the live match before it becomes available to download. Obviously don’t want to canabalise the tv offering.
January 16th 2010 @ 2:14pm
LeftArmSpinner said | January 16th 2010 @ 2:14pm | Report comment
peteski, thanks for the update about live v delayed. Being live is not an much of an issue, really. Particularly the SA games. But I would probably jsut go up the pub like I do now for tahs NZ games.
However, it is very good to know.
January 17th 2010 @ 1:05pm
Justin said | January 17th 2010 @ 1:05pm | Report comment
LAS – why dont you have Fox?
January 17th 2010 @ 3:55pm
Bay35Pablo said | January 17th 2010 @ 3:55pm | Report comment
Spent all his money on the SCG/SFS Trust membership …
January 18th 2010 @ 5:35am
LeftArmSpinner said | January 18th 2010 @ 5:35am | Report comment
touche!!!!!
January 16th 2010 @ 1:39pm
JezNez said | January 16th 2010 @ 1:39pm | Report comment
LAS, have fun in Melbourne. In a decade or two when the Tahs finally get some silverware you aren’t allowed to drink with the rest of us diehards.
Ps, if Dan Palmer winds up down there I might have to follow (not really but he is that good).
January 16th 2010 @ 2:17pm
Central North said | January 16th 2010 @ 2:17pm | Report comment
But if you switch to the Rebels, what will you have to complain about here at the Roar LAS?
January 16th 2010 @ 2:36pm
LeftArmSpinner said | January 16th 2010 @ 2:36pm | Report comment
Central North:
I have proffered 99 articles to the Roar in about 16 months:
Here are the latest headlines:
Which will it be: the Waratahs or Rebels?
January 16 2010 (12 hours ago)
Foolish disloyalty as Waratahs ignore supporter base
January 8 2010
Great Test match papers over problems
January 7 2010
Is Brian Smith a saviour or party organiser?
December 22 2009
Deans is giving the Wallabies every chance
December 1 2009
Wallabies prove they can do it
November 29 2009
Deans must drop Giteau for Wales game
November 25 2009
Wallabies need a midfield strategist
November 23 2009
Wallabies are on right path but not there yet
November 19 2009
Where have all the backline plays gone?
November 1 2009
Lote loses it with Wests Tigers signing
October 30 2009
A primer for Wallaby success at RWC 2011
October 28 2009
An open letter to John, Robbie, Rocky and Berrick
October 25 2009
Deans now understands the Wallabies issues
October 11 2009
Time to select the Wallaby team for Tokyo
October 10 2009
Deans seeks help from Elsom and Barnes to grasp the nettle
October 9 2009
Confidential email from Deans to his boss
October 7 2009
A blueprint for future Wallaby success
September 25 2009
Selectors must choose attitude before ability
September 21 2009
Wallabies humiliated by courageous All Blacks
September 20 2009
Felipe Massa is the real loser of ‘crashgate’
September 20 2009
The headlines are not complaint based. They are opinion pieces and reflect the current situation as I see it, both good and bad and giving a balanced assessment of the situation.
I then assess my work on the number of Cheers and comments made. I am happy with my work. I am happy to eat my words if it becomes apparent that I have got it wrong. at the moment, I remain happy that I will not have to do this on the roosters pieces.
But, then there were the interactions with Knives Out, when he was masquerading as AB prop Tony Woodcock. Yes, there was some baiting but he had the final word when he came clean on his true identity!!! great stuff!!!!
But the point is exactly that. I have had enough of the bullshit stuff so it is time to move to greener pastures and less problems.
January 17th 2010 @ 7:32am
Central North said | January 17th 2010 @ 7:32am | Report comment
LAS,
I have read the majority (but, to be fair, not all) of your 99 articles posted here on the roar. And I should probably have clarified in my admittedly all too glib post that I wasn’t talking about your body of work in its entirity.
I was, as many others here have, simply shining a light on the repetitive nature of your postings on the ANZ matter. While also attempting to highlight the futility of your contuinued efforts to get the Tahs to change their minds and move all games back to the SFS. Fair play to you, you are entitled to your position. As an SFS/SCG member I expect it.
We’ve gone head to head on this one before, and as loath as I am to go there again, some facts cannot be denied or ignored:
*The deal was signed years ago.
*It has been public knowledge for years.
*It resulted in a multi-millional dollar windfall for the NSWRU, which – though you may not like to acknowledge it – contributed GREATLY to the construction of the centre of excellence at Moore Park.
*Pulling out of the ANZ Stadium deal midway would draw significant penalties for NSWRU.
*NSWRU are just scraping by financially as it is and paying penalties would make their financial position more perilous.
I guess your commentary and opinion on the matter are good for the roar, as people like me keep coming back and generating page impressions and hits. So your railing against the Tahs administration and the move to ANZ probably isn’t in vain.
But geez, I wish you’d give it a rest.
January 17th 2010 @ 3:57pm
Bay35Pablo said | January 17th 2010 @ 3:57pm | Report comment
Central North, agreed.
January 17th 2010 @ 8:35pm
LeftArmSpinner said | January 17th 2010 @ 8:35pm | Report comment
jsut 2 articles in 99, about 2% if my maths are correct and fully jsutified.
January 18th 2010 @ 5:36am
LeftArmSpinner said | January 18th 2010 @ 5:36am | Report comment
two articles commenting on the facts that tahs audiences are in decline and giving an inside view of the decision process to break ties with Tahs.
January 18th 2010 @ 8:15am
Bay35Pablo said | January 18th 2010 @ 8:15am | Report comment
LAS, sorry I didn’t make it clear, I agreed with the bullet points of Central North, not necessarily that you’d been banging on about NZ for too long. My comments about that have been posted on another thread on this point you would have seen.
January 16th 2010 @ 3:02pm
formeropenside said | January 16th 2010 @ 3:02pm | Report comment
How could anyone switch support from the State they were reared in to a bunch of renegades and mercenaries based in Victoria?
January 17th 2010 @ 1:08pm
Justin said | January 17th 2010 @ 1:08pm | Report comment
I love emotive language like mercenaries and renegades when referring to the Rebels. Every fricken team in the comp is made up of them. Its called opportunity…you go where you think you will get a game or where you will be paid well.
January 16th 2010 @ 4:07pm
Harry Kimble said | January 16th 2010 @ 4:07pm | Report comment
Why does anyone have to support a team from where they were born? In this day and age, you support a team that suits your ideals, your prfereences, your ethics and the playing style you like. Humans are migrating animals and always search for their own standards.
Remeber that nationalism is the refuge of scoundrels.
I played for five different district clubs, three I lived in the area and two, I didn’t. I chose the club that suited me.
Many people support NRL teams outside where they live and Rugby followers prefer other teams to the Waratahs. Not all Sydney-born Aussie Rules followers support the Swans.
Surely we have moved on from when you were a traitor if you not follow the club/state/nation of your birth.
January 16th 2010 @ 4:59pm
MyGeneration said | January 16th 2010 @ 4:59pm | Report comment
But once you’ve chosen a team, for what ever reason, there should be a certain amount of sticking through thick and thin, otherwise maybe you’re a shopper, not a supporter. Actually, there should be A LOT of sticking through thick and thin.
January 16th 2010 @ 5:38pm
Who Needs Melon said | January 16th 2010 @ 5:38pm | Report comment
MG,
I agree with you but, as someone mentioned above, it should be like a marriage. The fact that you vowed to stick with someone for better or worse doesn’t mean that other party has a right to treat you like cr*p. There’s got to be some give and take. Sounds like LAS has given a lot over the years and he has a right to question whether the Tahs are keeping up their end of the bargain.
Again, I’m NOT trying to persuade LAS (or anyone else) away from supporting their team. Just that someone in a relationship that isn’t working, has a right to question it and if the other party isn’t coming to the party, then…
I’ve stretched the metaphor too far, haven’t I?
January 16th 2010 @ 6:06pm
MyGeneration said | January 16th 2010 @ 6:06pm | Report comment
I think we should stretch it further. Maybe LAS should consider counselling before taking up with that harpy from out of town. Think of the children!
January 16th 2010 @ 6:12pm
Pete said | January 16th 2010 @ 6:12pm | Report comment
If LAS goes does he get the house (i.e SFS)?
January 16th 2010 @ 6:23pm
MyGeneration said | January 16th 2010 @ 6:23pm | Report comment
Nah, his new squeeze has her own place.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbourne_Rectangular_Stadium
January 16th 2010 @ 10:29pm
macavity said | January 16th 2010 @ 10:29pm | Report comment
how does a club treat you like shit?
not win?
not play at the stadium most convenient for you?
not play a “style” you like (wtf?)
abandoning your team for those reasons is like divorcing your wife because she is sick.
interesting to see the different views on support. harry up there thinks its perfectly ok to chop and change because of “style”….
whereas my club is so intrinsic to my identity, and the identity of my town, that it is inconceivable that I would ever turn on them – and I (and many many others) view any Novocastrian who doesn’t support them with suspicion and disdain.
Newcastle till I die.
January 17th 2010 @ 11:35am
Harry Kimble said | January 17th 2010 @ 11:35am | Report comment
People flocked to Souths because of Russell Crowe and stopped supporting Canterbury because of their rortings. People change clubs when a player that they like shifts to a new club.
Why do I have to follow Newcastle (say) just because I live in Newcastle? If someone is treated with suspicion and distain then it says more about the narrowmindedness, xenophobia, lack of self-esteem and insularity of those who feel that than for the person who can look further than their own backyard and may prefer to follow another club or even code.
I think people are not sheep who just want to part of a mob, but can make up their own minds about who they follow.
I am sorry but following a football club is not like marriage at all.
January 17th 2010 @ 1:25pm
Pete said | January 17th 2010 @ 1:25pm | Report comment
Harry, no one is saying that people who don’t support the local club should be treated with suspicion and distain. You don’t have to support the local team at all, but you don’t switch your alliance to another club. One club for life, through good times and bad. That’s what makes the highs so good, you’ve endured the soul crushing lows.
But that’s just my view, plenty of people switch their support.
But the grass is usually greener, because its been fertilised with bullsh*t.
January 17th 2010 @ 2:06pm
MyGeneration said | January 17th 2010 @ 2:06pm | Report comment
Yup, a shopper.
January 17th 2010 @ 4:30pm
Who Needs Melon said | January 17th 2010 @ 4:30pm | Report comment
Yes – it is interesting. When you support a team, what exactly is it you are supporting? There’s a Seinfeld skit about this – that your really just cheering the uniform. But they change too!
Maybe you’re right Harry. I’m discontinuing my marriage analogy in case my wife is reading.
January 17th 2010 @ 8:24pm
LeftArmSpinner said | January 17th 2010 @ 8:24pm | Report comment
how erudite. well said Harry!!!!
January 17th 2010 @ 8:28pm
LeftArmSpinner said | January 17th 2010 @ 8:28pm | Report comment
MACavity, you are a dinasaur and Newcastle is a good place for you to reside!!!!!
January 17th 2010 @ 9:01pm
Robbo said | January 17th 2010 @ 9:01pm | Report comment
A few more exclamation marks?
January 16th 2010 @ 9:28pm
PW said | January 16th 2010 @ 9:28pm | Report comment
i will always support queensland, LAS I would consider you a bandwagoner.
January 17th 2010 @ 12:01pm
Jannerboyuk said | January 17th 2010 @ 12:01pm | Report comment
I find the idea of changing your club bewildering. Its more understabdable to change codes then clubs, following your club through good times and and bad is the essence of being a fan. anybody who bandwagons misses out on so much. I prefer the occasional promotion/cup run of ny football team , plymouth argyle fc to all the silverware of man u etc. The three wins of the crusaders rugby league had more satisfaction then i could possibly get if i jumped ship to leeds rhino, and crusaders have just moved 150 miles north of me!
The pain makes the pleasure a thousands times more intense.